Everything from lavender to artisanal kale is within footsteps of the house’s side door.
Ann Conrad Stewart garnishes salads with homegrown nasturtium flowers and Johnny-Jump-Up blooms.
Contained with bluestone and framed in peastone, every one of the 16 raised beds measures five feet square—it’s the distance that Ann Conrad Stewart can easily reach to harvest without stretching.
Every year is different, but Stewart was on a pepper craze last season (including spicy red peppers and sweeter versions).
With tomatoes for a centerpiece surrounded by various kales, the family has salads covered for the entire growing season.
When they were young, the children were taught to only harvest flowers from the square beds—the surrounding inedible hydrangeas were off limits.
Given great drainage and infinite sun, lavender lives in the boxes year after year.
The full spectrum of tomatoes (and relatives) includes cherry tomatoes and tomatillos.
After frost, tomatoes are lined up on the windowsill to ripen.
Zucchini and summer squash drape over the side edges of the stone boxes.
Ann keeps a pair of gloves for every task: These are perfect for fine work.
Along the catwalk between the house and studio, rope swings are suspended from the crossbeams.
Although some beds are planted solidly with herbs or vegetables, others are mini-parterres. Front and center here is lettuce and Johnny-Jump-Ups surrounding peas trained up a trellis.
Stewart keeps track of her rows with metal labels.
Half the width of each bluestone was buried below ground for stability. The boxes were also fitted with a drainage gap to prevent saturation problems.